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Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger will receive Legends of Coaching Award

By Chip Rouse

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners signals in a play during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on February 13, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 88-78. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners signals in a play during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on February 13, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 88-78. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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In 32 years as a college head coach Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger has witnessed the highs and lows of college basketball and become one of the winningest active coaches in the game.

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Kruger, who is in his eighth season as the Sooners’ head coach, has achieved a number of milestones and honors  in his lengthy career, and this season he will add another distinguished honor to his glowing career resume. On Tuesday, it was announced that Kruger is the John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching honoree for the 2018-19 season.

The Oklahoma head coach joins a virtual who’s who list of college basketball coaching greats who have received the prestigious Legends Award. The list includes Dean Smith and Roy Williams of North Carolina (formerly of Kansas), Mike Kryzyzewski of Duke, Tom Izzo of Michigan State, Lute Olsen of Arizona, Gene Keady of Purdue and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, just to name a few.

Kruger was the first coach to take five different schools to the NCAA Basketball Tournament and the first to win an NCAA Tournament game at five schools. In 2015, with Oklahoma, he became the first coach since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams (in 1985) to take four different programs to the Sweet 16 or beyond. His 1993-94 Florida team and the 2015-16 Oklahoma team with Buddy Hield, advanced to the Final Four.

Kruger is 619-335 all-time as a college head coach, including 140-91 at Oklahoma. In the last three seasons in Norman, the former Kansas State All-American and two-time All-Big Eight Player of the Year has coached three NBA Draft picks, a National Player of the Year (Buddy Hield) and a National Freshman Player of the Year (Trae Young).

This season at OU will mark the longest tenure for Kruger at any of his six schools he has served as head coach. His previous longest stint was seven seasons at UNLV (2004-11). He has been the head coach at Oklahoma since the 2011-12 season.

Last season, Kruger received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Metropolitan Award for long and outstanding service to men’s college basketball.

The Sooner head coach will be officially honored at the ESPN College Basketball Awards on April 12, 2019.

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